So this is where we’re at right now, black folks? Shoot, and here I thought the Love & Hip Hop Atlanta boycott petition on change.org was bad. Now Al Sharpton’s outfit is leading a boycott of the Django Unchained action figures being sold. Jesus Christ! Do we need another black kid armed with Skittles and Ice Tea to be shot because black rage is idle? But seriously, I could think of many other things to be pissed about as a person of color, other than some $299.00 collectibles being sold on Amazon. But hey, I suppose that’s just me being tired of being the angry black dude.

This from NewsOne:

Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network has been largely silent on the raging controversy surrounding Quentin Tarantino‘s ‘Django Unchained’ — until now.

In the wake of the release of action figures in the cast’s likeness, Rev. K.W. Tulloss, NAN’s president in Los Angeles, the progressive, civil rights organization called for a national boycott of the slavery toys which can be purchased for $299 on Amazon.com.

“Selling this doll is highly offensive to our ancestors and the African American community,” Rev. K.W. Tulloss, said to the NY Daily News. “The movie is for adults, but these are action figures that appeal to children. We don’t want other individuals to utilize them for their entertainment, to make a mockery of slavery.”

Now  yesterday I mentioned how this movie has made some of my “cousins” upset. And as I said then, some of them are probably more upset because the film was written and directed by Quentin Tarantino who happens to be white. I firmly believe that most are upset for no other reason than that fact. So, as far as the action figures go? Well, let’s just say that I don’t see them being packaged with chains, branding irons, or any of those ghastly iron masks used to torture slaves. That said, I really don’t see the big deal; because, it’s not like kids are running out to buy them.

It’s just standard movie marketing actually, and the National Action Network is doing a fine job by boosting sales with this frivolous attempt at a boycott of these dolls. Besides, it’s not like black folks are going to break their necks to drop #299.00 on Amazon to buy them anyway.

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After reading this, you may ask: How can a mother stand there and let a man do such a thing to her child? Well, the answer is easy: The Bible teaches women to “submit” to their husbands. Additionally, it also says, “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” That said, isn’t it easy to understand why something like this actually happened in our much touted civilized society?

After all, isn’t it telling that when they found 7-year-old Roderick Arrington unresponsive after being beaten to near death a day earlier for not reading the Bible, instead of dialing 911, they called their pastor? My guess is that this was all God’s will as well, right? Yep, Jesus loves the little children of the world; yep, even the ones who are physically abused that are raised by parents who love him.

LAS VEGAS (KSNV MyNews3) — Markiece and Dina Palmer are accused in the murder of Dina Palmer’s 7-year-old son, who police say died from injuries consistent with child abuse.

It’s a heartbreaking story that’s left so many people asking the question. When the Palmers found second-grader Roderick Arringtonin the morning, the couple says he was unresponsive.

However, they told police they didn’t call 911 first. Instead they called a pastor.

Dina Palmer: Mother of Roderick Arrington

[...] Pastor Kenneth Hollingsworth says he’s as shocked as anyone that Markiece Palmer chose to call him before first-responders.

Metro police said they believe Roderick Arrington was abused at Markiece and Dina Palmer’s home near Decatur and Desert Inn.

Palmer admitted to hitting his stepson on multiple occasions in front of the boy’s mother.

He told police that’s how he would discipline the second-grader.

In the police report, detectives say they found a broken broom stick, belts, cords, spatulas and clothing — all with blood on them.

Roderick was taken to a hospital on Thursday and died a day later. (source)

Now, I’m not opposed to spanking my kids: and, I’ll be the first to admit that. No, you’ll get no argument from me when it comes to corporal punishment as a form of discipline. And I say that having been on the receiving end of more than a few as a child myself. However, whether deserved or not (yes mom, the jury is still out on a few of those). It’s very hard for me to rationalize inflicting the abuse to a child, for lying about reading the Bible. Having said that, I won’t be surprised if Roderick’s mother, Dina Palmer, is also a victim of religious-sanctioned physical and mentalabuse as well.

The arrest report details the child’s injuries, including open abrasions on his buttocks, severe bruising to his thighs, marks and bruises on his back and shoulders and evidence of previous beatings.

Markiece Palmer told police he and Dina Palmer spanked the child November 27th, because he lied about reading a Bible verse. Markiece Palmer said Roderick was spanked again the next day for not finishing his homework. In the arrest report, Markiece Palmer said the boy balled up his fists and “ran at him”. That resulted in Markiece shaking the child. He also told police Roderick slipped at the bottom of the stairs and hit his head on a table and the floor. (source)

Check out the following video:

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The year was 2003…

South Park had an episode named “All About Mormons” (<– watch it there if you have been asleep for the last 9 years) in their 7th season, in which they went through this seemingly far-fetched story and explanation of exactly what it is that Mormons Believe. At the time, I was without a car after a near-death situation back at the beginning of that summer, so I had nothing but time when I was not working 60 hours a week to get myself back into one.

When it went off, I went RIGHT to the internets to check the “this is bullshit” meter on this. What resulted was a “Phillip is awake until 4am” internet journey looking further into the Book of Mormon. What I learned at the time was not only PRECISELY outlined in the episode, but it was what took me deeper into the rabbit hole that had me up until 4 in the morning. More on that in a minute.

As I have stated here before, I have NO qualms admitting that I was raised in the church and my understanding of the bible leaves me not willing to take it literally so much as understanding that 2012 science is what it was then, so the tenor of HOW what was written was written reflects that. I prefer to take the lesson and apply to a more current situation. I do what works for me.

This matters because this “research” was done in 2003, and I became aware of Romney when he ATTEMPTED to run for president in 2008, but stalled out in the primaries. The moment I read that he was Mormon, I was done with him.

Last week, AlterNet posted a story/link that detailed one of the tenets of Mormon belief; that Jesus would return to the earth in Independence Missouri (lol, I said Missouri) AND Jerusalem and rule for (only?) 1000 years. His return in this manner was tied to a United States in a constitutional crisis and on the verge of collapse and that the savior making way for Jesus’ return would himself be a Mormon and that OTHER Mormons would be made “Gods” themselves on the other side of this.

Now, we all know that Joseph Smith was a CONVICTED con-man. What we may have missed is that he is apparently a very bad fanfiction novelist whose most famous and influential work was loosely based on what we SHOULD believe about the New Testament with a sprinkling of what he could – for his own personal gain – convince us that we should believe about it.

And this is where Willard Mittens Romney comes in.

See, having read and pretending to believe what this fan fiction novel contains, he has used his privileged position to rise in the ranks of this “church,” using it to avoid military service and generally avoid the onus of having to behave like a decent human being when conveniently avoidable. Now having lost the 2008 GOP race, and seeing that a party whose policies have CREATED the problem that currently dog the country and its economy, Mittens has created HIMSELF as the “Mormon savior” who will save the US from certain doom.

Now, Mormons only make up about 2% of the US population and EVERY SINGLE ONE of those voting for Mitt might not make so much of a difference in his outcome of the election. What must be watched is the number of people who might still wake up on Election Tuesday still needing to be convinced to actually vote at all. Drawing the fact that some might be convinced to buy Joseph Smith’s snake oil will EASILY believe that Mitt is – instead of an entitled asshole who is growing increasingly frustrated that he has to be more aggressive than he feels he has to be – the aforementioned “savior” of America named in Smith’s fanfic novel.

But no, not me…

Again, my mind was made up the moment that Romney’s name came to my attention. Well, one could say that it was made four years before that. Maybe it is just me, but I cannot actively allow myself to trust a dude who ADMITS to believing something like that and then appears more to be using it for his own personal gain.

In other words, Romney never had my vote, and it was never because anyone involved was black or white.

The post My Subconscious 2003 Decision Not To Vote For Mitt Romney appeared first on Madness & Reality.

Not to belabor a point, but let’s follow-up on what I wrote yesterday in response to Richard Mourdock’s ridiculous comment. Yes, let’s take another look at the idea that a woman becoming pregnant as a consequence of being raped needs to succumb to “God’s will,” and as such, should not be allowed to legally have an abortion. As I noted yesterday, there are many who support this Mourdock’s stated opinion; and, many are coming to his defense. That said, in an attempt to make the idea of a woman being raped all the more real, let’s meet 37-year-old, Tiana Stevens.

I came across Stevens’ story via News One. The article they did was heart wrenching, but it could not have come at a better time. I say that because as my wife and I discussed, it’s easy for people and politicians like Mourdock to discuss rape and incest without having been victimized themselves; or, without have any close and personal experience with anyone who has actually been through such a horrific experience. But, with women being sexually assaulted every 45 seconds here in the United States; and, with 1 in 15 sexual assaults resulting in pregnancy, rape is very real, folks.

So yes, let’s take a look at one woman’s story. That’s right, meet Tiara Stevens, a rape survivor and single mother to her son who also happens to be her brother. Yep, Tiara was sexually assaulted by her father repeatedly when she was 12-years-old, and gave birth to, well, her brother.

Would you really be willing to go through it?

Unfortunately for Tiara, she didn’t have that option. As she stated in the video above, she had no idea she was pregnant until the baby was born. But I have to wonder, what if she knew? What if she knew she was pregnant, would she want to willingly go through a pregnancy and deliver a child fathered by her father at 13-years-old? I think we can all agree that at that age, life is pretty much complicated as is. Why then would a young woman want to burden herself with the emotional scar of giving birth to her father’s child? Should she too in her not-yet-formed adult mind accept her circumstance as “God’s will,” and her child as a “gift” from God? As a parent, can you honestly say that it would be?

Do you really believe hat?

Tiara Stevens was raped by father when she was 12-years-old and became pregnant — yeah, God gave her the gift of a bouncing baby boy. What’s really awesome, is that she didn’t have an abortion and gave birth to her brother… eww… who quite naturally has a host of medical problems and is blind.

Having said that, I wonder how many of you “believers” are still of the opinion that a woman (or girl) conceiving a child when raped is still a “gift” from God.? I’m only asking because if this is a blessing, then maybe abortion should be illegal and not an option for women who through no fault of their own, are victimized…. oops, I meant blessed by God. I mean, am I wrong, or am I wrong? Oh well, you can watch Tiara’s full interview below. Yep, pay attention to the part where she said her father found out she was pregnant when the baby kicked while he was having sex with her.

The post Single-Mom Confuses Son as Brother Years After Dad Impregnates Her appeared first on Madness & Reality.

It’s been a while since I last watched anything on Fox News, but I did last night. I specifically watched Sean Hannity’s show last night, because he had an exposé on Barack Obama that was guaranteed to rock his bid for reelection. I was told that a secret video of Obama had surfaced, so I was curious.

Aside from being a Obama supporter, a video being in the hands of Hannity really piqued my interest. It was to be an introduction to the real Obama to the world in the form of a speech he delivered in 2007 at Hampton University. I was told that the video in question contained excerpts of a very racially divisive speech by a then candidate Barack Obama. Allegedly, this was a video intentionally hidden because it’s release would have been damaging.

So I watched, and this is what I got:

“I’ve got to give a special shout-out to my pastor, the guy who puts up with me, counsels me, listens to my wife complain about me. He’s a friend and a great leader. Not just in Chicago, but all across the country.” - Senator Barack Obama

The video, which was obtained in full and posted by the Daily Caller, another conservative Web site, also shows Mr. Obama talking about the difficulties faced by the homeless people and veterans. He says such people “may need help with basic skills — how to show up to work on time, wear the right clothes and act appropriately in an office. We have to help them get there.” (source)

Hell, I was prepared for some weird reincarnation of Obama as Nat Turner mixed with Denmark Vesey, and a splash of Malcolm X. Shit, I figured I’d hear at least one “kill whitey,” or a “cracker-ass-cracker,” or something akin to the New Black Panther Party. But I didn’t even get a “jive turkey” soundbite; and lord knows how that scares white folks. Instead, what I got was a discussion by two white men on Fox about the content, delivery, and “accent” used by Obama. An accent? I’m sorry, but how does one’s accent determine one’s disdain for another race? Can anyone explain this one to me, please?

Check out the second video:

WASHINGTON — The Daily Caller, working in collaboration with Fox News, released a video Tuesday night of a speech President Barack Obama delivered at Hampton University back in 2007. The release was preceded by an all-afternoonDrudge Report banner headline splash, billing the video as some sort of electorally game-changing revelation with racial overtones that was going to affect the 2012 campaign ahead of the first presidential debate.

It ended up being a rerun of a 2007 story that was already well known to reporters and political partisans. So, as a piece of new and incendiary news, it was something of a letdown. However, as a piece of Internet trolling that forced political reporters to bide their time until the evening release of the video, instead of watching the goings-on in the last days of Major League Baseball’s regular season, it was a work of genius. (source)

Lemme tell you something: unless Andrew Brietbart comes back from the dead with a video of Obama at a BBQ with Idi Amin slapping high-fives while running a train on white women in 2011, um, we’re good. Rev. Jeremiah Wright being brought up again and this video is an epic fail on the part of Sean Hannity, Matt Drudge, and Tucker Carlson. Clearly it’s a move made out of desperation to help Romney, but still a nice try. I’m outta here, folks; I have an accent to go work on.

... and then they brought up Rev. Jeremiah Wright!

Besides, where was all this talk of divisiveness when then president, George W. Bush said the following, “poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination which h cut off generations from the opportunity of America…So let us restore all that we have cherished from yesterday and let us rise above the legacy of inequality. When the streets are rebuilt, there should be many new businesses, including minority-owned businesses, along those streets.” Those remarks were delivered from New Orleans by Bush after Hurricane Katrina. But, I guess he has the complexion for the connection; and thus, unlike Obama, he gets a pass on being racially divisive because it’s pretty obvious that he loves black people, and has a different accent.

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Man, y’all black people play too damn much. OK, so I know y’all love Jesus a lot; yes, black folk go to church eight days a week and three times on Sunday. So yeah, there’s no question about that; and no, I’m not gonna put y’all on front street about the “white man’s religion” thing. Nope, not when there are crazy black dudes in Times Square calling Moses their daddy and scaring goodness out of white people. But seriously, y’all take religion too far. Take Bishop Larry Trotter for example.

Apparently the good reverend got tired of kids being dropped off at his church this past week because teachers were on strike. Trotter is old, so like most elderly folk, there’s only so much you can take when it comes to screaming kids and whatnot. So what did he do? He decided to send a message to the parties involved in this week’s Chicago teachers strike, by hosting a press conference while his granddaughter was strung up on a cross like Jesus of Southside. Yes y’all, the man put his own grandchild on the cross ad called the news people to have a press conference.

This from WLS-TV Chicago:

A group of South Side ministers says the Chicago teachers strike is “crucifying our children.” Chicago Bishop Larry Trotter used his own granddaughter in a mock crucifixion Tuesday.

“My grandbaby’s on this cross to symbolize the 400,000 children who now for the seventh day are being crucified of their education and their safety,” Bishop Trotter, Sweet Holy Spirit Church’s pastor.

Some men held the girl up — she was not dangling from the cross.

Trotter says that, just like the biblical crucifixion of Jesus Christ, three nails are being driven into the lives of Chicago’s children: one by the teachers union, one by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the other by the board of education.

Trotter’s church is one of the safe havens being used by children during the strike. He says volunteers there are becoming weary, parents are angry and children are losing hope.

Now this one here is disturbing on so many levels, y’all. I don’t car how much my daddy might love the Lord, but if that was my kid? Clawwwwd’hamercy! Seriously, me and pops would be fighting over some shit like that. Hell, that’s about as bad as making my kids pick cotton in Black History Month just so they and their lil’ white classmates can “see” what it was like the day before Dr. King gave the Dream Speech and Negroes got them some freedom. You know, back when we were civilized?

Yeah, back when society was more civilized than today:

You get misguided symbolic gestures like the above .

From all accounts, things are pretty nad in Chicago. There’s been a spike in violence in recent years that has left everyone except Bill O’Reilly puzzled. O’Reilly as I pointed out recently, attributed much of the black-on-black violence to the fact that white folks aren’t buying drugs anymore. So be that as it may, it’s understandable why Bishop Trotter would be concerned about idle children on the streets of Chicago. Even so, the biggest problem with Trotter’s Calvary re-enactment, is that the strike had a lot to do with securing an improved learning environment for students. You know, the very kids who have to suffer while sitting in overcrowded classrooms without working Air Conditioning systems?

Yeah, those very children who are failing because of systematic structural deficiencies. Uh huh, those “crucified” children. Shit, if Bishop Potter was really concerned, he’d host a press conference with his granddaughter sitting in an electric chair. I say that because at the end of the day, more money is being spent on (or made) incarcerating people of color than spent on education — yeah, just ask rapper, Chief Keef what he thinks. After all, he’s a product of Chicago public schools.

The post Chicago Bishop Hangs Granddaughter on Cross to Protest Teachers Strike appeared first on Madness & Reality.

Like most black people I used to like and admire both Tavis Smiley and Cornel West a great deal, but after they made public fools of themselves on the very day that Barack Obama announced his intention to run for president, I decided to do a little research into them instead of simply buying into the hype. Not long thereafter it started to become clear that their images were merely facades that hid highly ambitious, self-serving, and untrustworthy clowns of the worst kind, and that assessment is not based merely upon my opinion. The most cursory review of the facts will easily bear that out.

I found that Tavis is the most prolific corporate shill in the Black community, and he’s closely involved with some of the most exploitive corporations of working class people in the country. So I began to ask myself, how can his so-called concern for the poor and middle class coexist with his association with Walmart, Nationwide Insurance, and other corporate manipulators of the poor and middle class?

HERE’S A MESSAGE FROM A PRO-BUSINESS FRIEND OF MINE REGARDING NATIONWIDE INSURANCE.

“One thing that caught my eye was the picture of Nationwide because it’s personal. Sharon’s sister was blind-sided by a drunk, uninsured motorist. Donna had been paying uninsured motorist insurance though Nationwide for years. Donna was barely conscious in the hospital when a Nationwide rep showed up with a document he told Donna to sign because it would pay the ambulance fees (about $4-5,000). Donna had broken arms, broken ribs and other major injuries. Donna barely scribbled her initials and the guy left. Several weeks later, when she got out of the hospital, her bill was in the tens of thousands of dollars. Required Physical would add thousands more, all within her policy limits. Nationwide refused to pay, citing Donna’s initials on what she was told was the ambulance and ER bills. Donna was unable to have physical therapy and had to file bankruptcy. Like Sharon, Donna is an American Indian (Cherokee), lives in the country and knew/knows nothing about lawyers. By the time we found out, Nationwide’s weird statute of limitations had run out and they were legally “off-the-hook”. Donna is crippled and debilitated to this day.

“Nationwide IS NOT on your side. They are scumbags to be avoided AT ALL COSTS! You have my permission to use this if you wish to help your community. Tom”

I also began to ask myself how Tavis could possibly claim to be concerned about the plight of Black people, and then seek to pad his pocket by promoting R. Kelly, a man who became more famous for his alleged appearance in a graphic underground video of himself molesting a 14 year-old Black child, than for his musical ability? Sure, Kelly beat the case, but the video is still out there, and it is what it is (read here).

And then there’s Cornel West, a man who’s literally made a career of spewing the depth of his love for his people to anyone who will listen, for a fee. With West, it’s always brother this, or my dear brother that, yet, as badly as we need educators in the Black community, he has never taught at a school that more than 1% of Black people could afford to attend in his entire career? If he loves his people so much, why isn’t he teaching third grade in the hood, or at the very least, instructing young people at one of the many Historically Black Colleges or Universities? Isn’t teaching poor and middle-class students prestigious enough for him? Doesn’t he love his people enough to want to see them well educated? I guess not, because while his incessantly running mouth says one thing, his behavior says another. It seems that he would much rather preach us a sermon than live us one.

While it seems that West can’t inconvenience himself to the point of busting a grape when it comes to helping to educate Black children, he wants us to believe that he loves the Black community so much that he was forced to join forces with Ralph Nader and help to elect George Bush in the 2000 election. Bush won by 537 votes. The Nader-West coalition peel off 97,488 votes in Florida alone. But, of course, West only hepled to usher in the Bush-Cheney era, and the misery that it brought to the Black community, in the interest of political chastity, you understand.

But as horrific as that episode was, for me, its hypocrisy is more than rivaled by West’s mere association with Tavis Smiley. In this latest coalition, West reminds me of a guy running down the street ranting about fascism after just having lunch with Mussolini. But many Black people can’t seem to see that, because they’ve been so bedazzled by the hype over Cornel’s resume that even though he doesn’t make a bit of sense most of the time, they assume that he must be saying something so profound that their limited education is causing them to miss the point. But what point could possibly be missing when a man advocates that you become so disgusted with the Bogeyman that you should go out and elect the Devil? Dumb is dumb, even if it comes from Princeton.

So my distaste for these two individuals run far, far deeper than their criticism of President Obama. The fact is, I’ve written several articles criticizing the president myself - as I do with every president - but I make sure that my criticisms are constructive, issue-specific, and I ALWAYS make sure that I afford the president all of the respect that he’s due. But the thrust of Tavis and West’s criticisms of President Obama are neither issue-specific, nor constructive. In fact, in the case of Cornel West, his criticisms are not only less than constructive, but they hover around a level of immaturity approaching The Dozens. So for the most part, Tavis and West are simply running around saying, “This guy ain’t no good and he can’t be trusted,” under the guise of being concerned about poverty.  But if you listen closely, after you get past all of the misleading rhetoric and disinformation, you’ll find that the  bottom line is, they’re campaigning for the Republicans as a cure for poverty, and you don’t get no dummer than that.  So we’re dealing with one of two things here – either they’re two turncoats, or they’re so dumb that they shouldn’t be allowed to hold a microphone.

Thus, their mantra about “attacking the messagener” notwithstanding, I’d like to hereby assure both, Tavis and West, and the world, that my raging distaste for them has absolutely nothing to do with their criticizing Obama. My distaste for these two individuals is a direct result of what I perceive as a gaping flaw in their character. So I am far less concerned about WHAT they’re saying, than I am about WHY they’re saying it. Because it’s the “WHY” that’s so toxic to the Black community.

I’ve been around long enough to recognize that as African Americas, we’re products of the very same racist environment as White people. As a result, many of us are just as racist toward other Black people as any Hillbilly, and that’s exactly what I see in Tavis Smiley and Cornel West. I’ve never forgotten the very valuable lessons that I learned from the FBI’s ”Cointelpro” operation launched during the sixties to destroy the civil rights movement.

During that time the FBI scattered turncoats, snitches, and provocateurs all through the Black community to intice us to destroy ourselves. I was just a kid, but I learned something I’ll never forget during that period - always keep your eye on the ones who are always looking, acting, and talking the most militant. That’s why Cornel West immediately got my attention. I also learned that a good rule of thumb when dealing with such people is to ignore what they say, and simply watch what they do. In that regard, what are Tavis and West doing at this very moment? As we speak, they’re campaigning in the battleground states against Obama, and for the Republican Party.

So it has long since become clear to me that these two are not the least bit concern about poverty. They’re simply using the term “poverty”as a convenient metaphor to misdirect the people. You see, once their criticism of President Obama backfired on them in Black community, Tavis and West had to find a way to spread their anti-Obama message without generating so much heat. So they simply started using the word “poverty” as a metaphor for “Obama,” much like the Republicans use the word “welfare” as a metaphor for “Black people.” So now, instead of saying, “Don’t vote for Obama, they just use the word  ”poverty” to IMPLY that Obama’s presidency is inadequate. It’s an old psychological technique right out of the Republican playbook.

You see, Tavis and West’s motives are exactly the same as Herman Cain’s, but they’re coming from a different direction. At least Herman Cain was honest enough to come at us as a Republican, but Tavis and West are so arrogant that they think the Black community is stupid, so they’re trying to use reverse psychology. Where Herman Cain’s message was, “Black people need to start voting Republican so the two parties will have to fight for their vote,” Tavis and West are playing us stupid in a different way. They’re using militant rhetoric in order to get us to cut our own throats. They’re trying to make unsophisticated voters so disgusted with Obama that they don’t vote – and as every sophisticated voter knows, every Democrat who doesn’t vote translates into a vote for the Republicans.  So like I said, it’s Cointelpro, revisited – the use of Trojan Horses to divide and conquer.

Tavis and West are currently wrapping themselves in the legacy of Malcolm, Martin, and every other historic Black figure they can think of in order to send the message that Obama’s not being Black enough. Yet, in doing so, they know full well that it’s impossible for President Obama to become more strident in pursuit of exclusively Black issues, because then, the Republicans would use it as a weapon to tear away his White support – and he can’t get anything done without White support. Just imagine what the Black response would be if a White President said, “I’ve got to put things on hold for a moment so I can do something for White people.” Black people would go berserk, but essentially, that’s exactly what Tavis and West are demanding that Obama do – but again, just like the Republicans – they’re making their demand in race related buzz words.

So Tavis and West have President Obama in a position where if he continues to be the president of ALL the people, as he should be, they’re going to divide his Black support; but if he caters to their call for him to pay special attention to the Black community, he’s going to have two problems – congress is going to dig in, so he won’t be able to get anything passed, and beyond that, it’s going to divide his White support. So instead of doing everything they can to help improve the condition of the poor and middle class (Black and White), Tavis and West are playing silly, self-serving little games to divide the people, help the Republicans, and promote their own meanspirited agenda.

So why are Tavis and West playing these games when they know it’s hurting both the country, and the administration of the first Black President of the United States?

It’s simple – for spite. As I mentioned previously, since Black people are a product of the very same racist environment as White people, many Black people have attitudes that are just as arrogant, condescending, and racist toward other Blacks as any White racist, and this is clearly the case with Tavis and West. They think that they’re above us, and that we’re undereducated and politically unsophisticated idiots that they can play to their advantage.

You see, contrary to what they would have you believe, these two don’t love Black people – they think they OWN us. They don’t see us as people. They see us as a commodity to be manipulated, bartered and sold. That explains why Tavis and West are so upset with President Obama. When he went around them to get our vote, as far as they’re concerned he stole something from them.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT NATIONWIDE IS ON YOUR SIDE? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT TAVIS DOES?

.

Tavis’ Solicitation To Corporate Sponsors (like Nationwide)

“Tavis Smiley builds brand identification and strengthens your corporate image. Sponsors benefit from the “HALO EFFECT” of being associated with PBS and NPR and its mission to make a meaningful contribution to our community. Nearly 85% of consumers believe such HIGHER-PURPOSE, CAUSE-RELATED marketing creates a positive image for sponsors. And almost two-thirds of PBS viewers and NPR listeners are MORE LIKELY TO PURCHASE the product or service of a PBS or NPR underwriter.”

As for West, the man is greedy, immature, and petty. He complained because “The guy who carried my bags into the hotel” got tickets to the inauguration and he didn’t. Wouldn’t you think that a person who fights for equality would love the symbolism of a worker getting into the inauguration of the President of the United States? But not Cornel, he felt slighted and insulted – he felt that he was BETTER than the HELP. And when Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry got the job with MSNBC. Wouldn’t you think a man who fought for equality would love seeing another intelligent Black female voice getting national exposure? But not Cornel. He made a public statement, calling her a liar and a fraud. How did that promote the interest of the black community? And is that the behavior of an enlightened intellectual? I don’t think so.

We’ve got to bring this kind of petty, self-serving, Black-on-Black racism to an end. That’s why it’s time to boycott Tavis Smiley, Cornel West, and any corporation, product, or media outlet that’s associated with them. After over 400 years of manipulation, it’s time to send one message loud and clear – THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS NOT FOR SALE! And we’re not going to tolerate ANYONE thinking that they can walk around with us in their pocket.

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Dear Ms. Constance White,

The 2012 Olympic Games have come to a close and we are in complete and utter awe of the magnificent Black women, American and international, who have competed in an array of sporting events, and in many instances, won medals. We did enjoy the article feature in the June issue on Claressa Shields and the gallery of 25 women to look for in the Olympics. However, coverage of Black women athletes in Essence’s print magazine leading up to the London Olympics was few and far between, as well as, coverage in its online forum was little paid attention during the 17 days of the summer event.

It was refreshing to witness the strength, grace and athletic beauty on display at the London games by the female athlete representatives from across the African diaspora. Set against the backdrop of Olympics, an event unparalleled in scope of coverage and viewership, surely there was ample opportunity to create a more compelling narrative of black health by highlighting the black female athlete to contrast the insensitive, and oftentimes demeaning, image of black women as the face of the obesity epidemic portrayed by mainstream media. Essence, where were you?

We have always admired the in-depth understanding and platform that Essence magazine has given African-American women. It has been a driving force in highlighting the beauty and dynamic lifestyles of Black women across the world. We look to your pages for the undeniable style, rich stories and thoughtful perspectives that are often passed over by mainstream media. In fact, Essence is a publication that was created to provide a voice and a more accurate representation of women of color in the United States, and still thrives on that invaluable tenet.

As a health research specialist and a media studies scholar, we are heavily interested and invested in the health and representation of Black women. With the wide range of body types that black women athletes possess, the London Olympics provided an excellent opportunity to provide in-depth display impeccable examples of Black fitness, all the while, furnishing a refreshing personification of Black women embodying excellent health, instead of being casted as the face and body of the obesity epidemic. Reports and articles highlight health disparities consistently featuring African-American women as the delegates of ill-health, particularly the ‘obesity epidemic’. Showcasing these athletes would have been a great opportunity to not only prove that there is a variety of physical forms that healthy Black women take on, but also could have provided hope and inspiration to those that are looking to get fit.

However, the Olympics is the global main stage that has made people think twice about the Black female physique and aesthetic. Black women athletes are as diverse in their sport of choice, as they are in complexion, hair styles and personal flair. And when you pair their profound narratives with their Olympic performances, their remarkable life stories become heroic. From the broken world records to displays of resilience, despite the innumerable amount of sacrifices, and for some, an uphill battle that included healing from a life of abuse and poverty, have been empowering and inspirational for all who have watched.

These triumphs are particularly true for athletes such as Gabby Douglas, Claressa Shields and Lolo Jones. Douglas is the first African-American to win a gold medal in all-around gymnastics, but experienced many disappointments along the way that included being considered ‘not good enough’ for the Olympic team. At the same time, we cannot forget the triumphs of gold-medalist Shields, the second youngest female boxer in US history who used boxing to assist her in overcoming an abusive environment as a child. Neither can we deny the strength of Jones, who was celebrated for surpassing insurmountable obstacles, yet had to face unfair critique when she did not medal for the second Olympics in the hurdles. In some instances, we have seen Black women contend for the first time or perform exceptionally well, in sporting events that have been traditionally dominated by non-Blacks. Given the economic disparities that exist in the US, and in particular, in sports, Essence could have given deeper coverage of stories like Maya Lawrence winning a bronze in Women’s Epee fencing; Lia Neal in the 4x100m freestyle relay; or the dominating presence of the Williams’ sisters taking the doubles gold in tennis, and Serena garnering an individual gold medal. To top it off, the fascinating highlights of women like Alice Coachman, the first Black woman to win a gold medal (1948) showcased our legacy of elite athleticism, poise, and beauty on a world stage, even when they faced a system of injustice in their own country.

We recognize these wins are representative of a country and not necessarily of a particular racial or ethnic group, but it would be naive and misleading to not acknowledge these feats since African-Americans have only been permitted to participate in the modern Olympics as American citizens for a little over a century and the first African-American woman not competing until 1936 (See Tidye Pickett and Louise Stokes). We, like many Black women, tuned in, celebrated, and shed tears during these games because their wins, were ours—as black women and citizens.

Additionally, the London Olympics provided an unparalleled opportunity for Essence to highlight women athletes of the diaspora; especially being that the US has a significant contingency of Caribbean, South American and European citizens of African descent, along with first, second and third generation African immigrants. There were scores of black women diaspora athletes on the soccer, volleyball and basketball teams of the world. We even saw the steadfast presence of black women who, like us, are not afraid to get their hair wet in Jamaican swimmer Alia Atkinson who was just out-touched for a bronze in the 100m breaststroke finals; and Emile Heymans who won bronze in the women’s synchronized 3m springboard diving. Also, our diasporan sisters earned a host of medals like Nicola Adams, who captured the gold as a flyweight in boxing, Lucie Decosse who kicked butt to a gold in Judo, Shara Proctor an Anguillian who won a gold in the long jump for Great Britain and broke the GB national record, and the memorable fastest woman on the planet, Shelley-Ann Fraser Pryce, and the Jamaican track and field team.

As a media outlet focused on Black women’s lifestyle, Essence had an amazing opportunity to display Black women in top physical condition, as well as professionals who understand that true fitness incorporates so much more than the body, but also mental, nutritional, and spiritual fitness. Remember these women are more than athletes – they are business women, entrepreneurs, wives, mothers, students, teachers, etc – but most importantly, they are women who, like your readers, must find ways to cope with the stresses of everyday life. It would have been of great benefit to learn how these black women manage work-life balance, or the mental techniques they used to prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, or perhaps they leveraged their circle of support, and in some cases, the baggage that they had to cut off in order to achieve their goals.

Lastly, we must emphasize, in this day of reality television and many videos still casting Black women in negative depictions, this would have been a chance to level the playing field (or at the very least disrupt the unfortunate norms); especially since the age of new media provides so many resources and technology to disseminate images, messages, representations, and voices in spaces that might have difficult to tap in the past. If Essence wants to continue the legacy of being one of the premier venues for Black female culture, it must embrace these huge events as Black women make their mark in the world. The Olympics show girls of color that beauty does not have to come solely from make-up, the latest fashions or even the trendiest hairdo, but it can most certainly come from hard work, determination and accomplishing your goals. As some little girl flips through your pages as we once did, we encourage you to highlight these women not only for their athletic achievements, but for the inspirational, awesome women they are.

Although we are not celebrities, public figures, or even athletes, we are inspired to live our lives healthily and to give our all in the pursuit of our passions. As current subscribers, we hope that Essence magazine upholds its reputation as the ‘go-to’ source for African-American women, and features these ladies, as well as those in the diaspora, in the bright light they deserve in your next print issue, online, or even by creating a special edition featuring the black women of the London Olympics. Surely, by the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro these opportunities will be considered.

Respectfully,

Ayanna D. Shivers, MPH

Kaia N. Shivers, M.A.

Ayanna D. Shivers has an MPH in International Health & Global studies with an emphasis on Health Behavior. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Social Psychology at Howard University and lectures in the areas of psychology and health. Her research interests include Black women’s health, culture, and social media.

Kaia N. Shivers is an activist, writer, artist, and doctoral candidate in the School of Communication and Information at Rutgers University. She is currently teaching digital media at Marymount Manhattan College and lives in Newark where she is researching consumption of African video films and identity amongst black communities in the NYC metropolis.

The post Black Women at the London Olympics: An Open Letter to Essence Magazine appeared first on Madness & Reality.

Pastor C.L. Bryant, a Black Republican, refers to himself as a “runaway slave,” in the following interview with Glenn Beck. Bryant was essentially promoting the latest Coonrasric epic propagandist film production, Runaway Slaves which is currently in theaters (more on that foolishness in a future post). Beck also says in the interview, that Conservatives are “second class citizens,” in America. Beck’s claim is one that should make anyone with common sense laugh hysterically. Seriously, the vast majority of right-wing Conservatives are white and well off financially; in no way do they represent second class citizenry in America. But yet, let people like Beck and Bryant tell it, people like me take comfort in victim-hood, and are being played like ignorant fools by Democrats.

Now what’s really funny, is that Bryant agrees and believes what Beck said to be true.. Which is silly if you ask me; but then I’m not a Conservative, so go figure. I mean, how can a black man call himself a “runaway slave,” with a better position in life socially, economically and otherwise having escaped the carefully constructed entrapment that is the Democratic party, and still be a second class citizen? .Oh that’s right, we black Democrats are stupid, foolishly dependent on their masters, and afraid to escape. And why? Because Democrats were opposed to the Emancipation of slaves.

Check out the Runaway Slave trailer featuring Pastor C.L. Bryant:

Not bad for a group of people opposed to class warfare.

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So apparently black men are shooting themselves in the head while handcuffed in the backseat of police cars, huh? Shit, why not just saw ourselves in half like all magicians do? Hell, at least we’d be still alive, right? No seriously, that’s probably the best reaction I have to the story involving 21-year-old, Chavis Carter. Unfortunately for Carter, he didn’t saw himself in half; therefore, as fate would have it, he is not alive today. Instead, Carter is dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. An act he managed to pull off, while sitting in the backseat of a Jonesboro, Arkansas police department cruiser, while his hands were handcuffed behind his back. Yes, you read that right: he was handcuffed.

A police investigation has been launched in response to the shooting death of a 21-year-old man. The victim was shot in the head and died from his injuries while handcuffed and sitting in the back of a police patrol car on Saturday night. The victim, Chavis Carter, was riding as a passenger in a pickup truck that happened to be pulled over by police in Jonesboro, Arkansas. According to a report, an officer found marijuana and decided to run Carter’s information. The officer discovered that Carter had a warrant from Mississippi so he was put into the patrol car.

“As protocol, he was handcuffed behind his back, double-locked and searched,” said Jonesboro Police Department Sgt. Lyle Waterworth.

Minutes after putting Carter in the vehicle, officers claim they heard a thump noise. They turned to the vehicle and found that Carter had been shot in the head. Waterworth said that he believes Carter had a gun hidden on himself, which he pulled out and then shot himself with.

“Any given officer has missed something on a search, you know, be it drugs, be it knives, be it razor blades,” he said. “This instance, it happened to be a gun.” (source)

Incredible, right? Heck yeah, it is; and it’s hard to convince me otherwise. As anyone who has been handcuffed and placed in the backseat of a police car like myself would tell you, there’s hardly enough room to fart. That said, how in the world am I to believe that Carter was able to pull off such a move? Yet somehow, I’m sure the conversation will switch to why he was arrested in the first place.

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